1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the dispensing art and more particularly to an improved arrangement for supplying a plurality of covers for a stethoscope head diaphragm and which allows the convenient selective removal of a single cover as required.
2. Background of the Invention
A number of structural arrangements have been proposed and/or utilized as disposable covers for the head of a stethoscope . These covers are utilized to prevent the contamination of the diaphragm of the stethoscope head from the ambient environment as well as patient to patient contamination from the head of the stethoscope. One such cover for a stethoscope head is shown in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,025. Such a cover for a stethoscope head as disclosed therein, and as disclosed in other patents including some of the prior art patents mentioned therein is generally comprised of a body member having a thin sheet of plastic, usually circular in shape to conform to the shape of the diaphragm of the stethoscope. The body member also comprises a layer of a peelable, pressure sensitive adhesive applied to one surface of the plastic sheet. An adhesive protective layer is generally applied to the pressure sensitive adhesive layer to protect the adhesive during shipping, storage and handling of the cover before the use thereof. The adhesive protective layer is removed from the adhesive and discarded when it is desired to mount the cover on the head of the stethoscope. The cover is then applied by pressing the pressure sensitive adhesive to the diaphragm of the stethoscope and the thin plastic sheet is pressed against the desired portion of the anatomy of the patient during use of the stethoscope. After the examination of the patient is concluded, the cover is discarded.
Since there are a very large number of separate utilizations by, for example, a medical practitioner, of a stethoscope on different patients during the course of a day, for safety a large number of stethoscope head covers must be available to the medical practitioner. In those applications where the medical practitioner is at a permanent location, a dispensing arrangement consisting of a large roll of covers mounted on a suitable adhesive protective layer, as disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,025 is quite satisfactory for convenient use by the medical practitioner. However, in many applications such as when the medical practitioner is performing the rounds of a large number of patients in a hospital, where the medical practitioner makes a house call or even where the medical practitioner has several examination rooms in the medical office, carrying a large role, or even a smaller sized role of such diaphragm head covers is impractical.
Thus, there has long been a need for a stack of a large number of stethoscope diaphragm head covers which may be conveniently carried and which allows rapid and easy removal of a single cover from the stack as required when the stethoscope is to be utilized.